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June 11, 2019

BLT Pasta Salad

Home » Side Dishes » BLT Pasta Salad

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overhead photo of blt pasta salad
BLT pasta salad

This BLT Pasta Salad is perfect for all the summer BBQs and potlucks. It has the classic flavors of a BLT with juicy tomatoes, crispy bacon, fresh spinach, and a creamy dressing but served up pasta salad-style. Learn my best tips for making a creamy pasta salad and how to make it ahead!

close-up photo of BLT pasta salad in a bowl

Updated from the archives. First published September 2009.

I first made this BLT pasta salad way back in 2009 when this ye olde blog was just a few months old and since then it’s been my go-to summer salad. It’s a crowd-pleaser with it’s classic BLT flavors and goes with pretty much any main dish served up at BBQs and potlucks.

And back then it was sort of a revelation because, up until that point, I’d never made a homemade pasta salad I liked. They were either too dry or too gloppy or too runny. I remember I’d recently seen an episode on Food Network – the name of the show escapes me now – during which the pasta was cooked and then chilled before it was mixed with the creamy dressing.

On the show, the host was making some sort of pasta salad-egg salad concoction and it was that one simple pasta preparation step that inspired this BLT pasta salad. Since then, I’ve never looked back and I always chill my cooked pasta. The result is a pasta salad that’s not too dry or too runny. It works every time.

So, seeing as summer is upon us, I gave this almost 10-year old post a makeover with a few more tips and tricks and new (much-improved) photos to showcase this favorite summer salad. The BLT pasta salad recipe, however, is still the same.

Tips for Making BLT Pasta Salad

Pasta

I like to use rotini pasta for this salad because it’s corkscrew-shape is a great vehicle for the creamy dressing.

I like to boil the pasta first, drain it really well, and then spread it out in an even layer on a baking sheet. Next, I pop it in the refrigerator to chill.

This chilling step is critical because if you toss warm pasta with a creamy mayo-based-dressing the heat from the pasta will break down the dressing making it runny and not so nice. The warm pasta will also absorb a lot of the dressing so, when it’s time to serve it, the pasta salad will be dry instead of creamy. Runny or dry BLT pasta salad = sad face.

Bacon

I prefer thick-cut bacon for this pasta salad. While the pasta is boiling I cook the bacon strips, drain them of their excess grease on a paper towel, and, once they’ve cooled, chop them into generous bite-sized pieces. I like to see the bigger pieces of bacon in the salad rather than finely chopping it.

Cherry Tomatoes

I love using cherry tomatoes in this BLT pasta salad because they’re sweeter than other types of tomatoes. They’re also perfectly sized when they’ve been sliced in half. I’ve also used grape tomatoes which are similar.

Along with the fresh tomatoes, the salad has diced onion and chopped fresh spinach all of which can be prepped while the pasta is chilling.

Creamy Lemon-Herb Dressing

Once I’ve cooked the bacon and while the pasta is chilling I like to make the dressing. It’s very simple:

  • Mayonnaise
  • Fresh lemon juice and zest
  • Fresh thyme leaves
  • Fresh parsley
  • Salt

How to Assemble the Salad

If you’re planning to serve the salad the same day you make it you can toss it all together once the pasta is chilled.

  • Place the chilled pasta in a large bowl. Add sliced cherry tomatoes, chopped spinach, diced onion and toss to combine.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad and toss again until the pasta and other ingredients are evenly coated.

At this point, you can serve the salad. I don’t really love icy cold pasta salads and prefer them a little cooler than room temperature. The pasta will be plenty cold at this point, so it’s nice to just toss and serve it. That said, there are times when I’ve needed to make it ahead and I do things a little differently when that is the case.

Also, since this is a mayo-based pasta salad, you don’t want it sitting out at room temperature for hours on end, but you won’t have that problem because this salad tends to disappear fast.

How to Make a BLT Pasta Salad Ahead

The steps in preparing all of the ingredients are the same, but instead of tossing it all together and popping it in the fridge I do the following:

  • Instead of slicing the tomatoes and tossing them with the salad I leave them out. Tomatoes don’t do well in the refrigerator – they’re texture can change and turn sort of mealy – and so I keep them out and only toss them with the salad when I’m ready to serve it. That said, a few hours in the fridge will not do too much damage, but if you’re making the salad a day in advance I recommend keeping them out until you’re ready to serve.
  • Same goes for the bacon. I’m happy to cook it ahead of time, chop it, and then store it separately in the fridge. It will lose some of its crispiness, but it will be a whole lot crispier if you keep it out of the salad until you’re ready to serve it.
  • You can toss the pasta with the spinach and onion. As far as the dressing goes, I add about 3/4 of it to the pasta reserving the rest until I’m ready to serve it. The pasta will absorb some while it chills in the fridge, so tossing it with the reserved dressing right before serving will revive its creamy texture.

I hope you enjoy this summer favorite!

Happy pasta-salad-making,

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More Summer Salads

  • Steak Taco Salad | This fast and fresh steak taco salad for two has tender pan-seared sirloin, creamy diced avocado, black beans, pepper jack cheese and a super simple 3-ingredient salsa verde dressing.
  • Fruit Salad with Citrus-Mint Dressing | This easy fruit salad is made with fresh berries and a zingy citrus-mint dressing. It’s a fresh no-cook side dish that goes with all the summer dishes whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner.
  • Orzo Pasta Salad | This orzo pasta salad with broccoli, bell pepper, red onion, and chickpeas is a great summer side dish. It’s tossed in a lemony mustard vinaigrette making it a fresh and light summer side dish for grilled steak, chicken, or seafood. Make it ahead to let all the flavors marry together and serve it cold or at room temperature.
  • Chicken & Black Bean Spinach Salad | The chicken & black bean spinach salad is packed with veggies and tossed with a simple garlic-lime dressing. Prep the ingredients ahead of time for easy weekday lunches.

📣 Do you love this recipe? I would love to know! Leave a comment below the recipe along with your recipe star rating.

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overhead photo of BLT pasta salad in a bowl

BLT Pasta Salad


★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews

  • Author: April @ Girl Gone Gourmet
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Description

A fun twist on a traditional BLT this salad has a creamy mayo dressing, crispy bacon, and sweet cherry tomatoes. Be sure to read the recipe notes for tips and make-ahead recommendations!


Scale

Ingredients

For the Salad

  • 12 ounces rotini pasta
  • 1/4 cup red onion, diced
  • 8 ounces bacon slices
  • 4 cups chopped fresh spinach
  • 10 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

For the Dressing

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
  • Juice from half of a lemon, plus 1 teaspoon zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Cook and chill the pasta: Boil pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Spread the pasta out in a single layer on a large baking pan. Stick the pan in the refrigerator to chill the pasta while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
  2. Cook the bacon: While the pasta is chilling cook the bacon until crispy. Remove from the pan and let the slices drain on a paper towel. Once the bacon is cool enough to handle, chop it into bite-sized pieces.
  3. Make the dressing: Combine the mayo with the thyme, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl. 
  4. Assemble the salad: Add the chilled pasta to a large bowl. Add the onion, chopped spinach, half of the chopped bacon and cherry tomatoes and toss to combine. Add the dressing and toss everything together until everything is coated evenly in the dressing. Top with the rest of the chopped bacon and serve.

Notes

Tips for Making the Salad: It’s important to chill the pasta first because if you toss warm pasta with the dressing the dressing will breakdown, which means your pasta salad will be runny. Warm pasta also tends to absorb more of the dressing so, when it’s time to serve it, your pasta salad will be dry. So, don’t skip the chilling step 🙂

How to Make the Salad Ahead

  • Combine the chilled pasta, spinach, onion and 3/4 of the dressing and cover it with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge. The pasta will absorb some of the dressing while it sits, so reserve some to toss with the salad when you’re ready to serve it. 
  • Store the cooked bacon in a separate container in the fridge.
  • Tomatoes don’t do well in the refrigerator, so I recommend that you wait to slice them until you are ready to serve the salad. 
  • Category: Side Dishes
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
  • Calories: 636
  • Sugar: 3.8g
  • Sodium: 796.2mg
  • Fat: 43.5g
  • Saturated Fat: 9.5g
  • Trans Fat: 0.1g
  • Carbohydrates: 46.8g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 13.7g
  • Cholesterol: 40.4mg

Keywords: BLT pasta salad, pasta salad with bacon, creamy pasta salad

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The nutrition information in this recipe is an estimate only and was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.


17 Comments

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Comments

  1. Natalie says

    April 14, 2020 at 9:46 am

    I looked for your BLT Salad and all that shows up on the website is the comments. I like your preliminary notes about how and why you do certain parts of the recipe; it makes the making of the recipe so much easier. The comments for this recipe are enticing, and I see where i can get just the recipe, but where is the original??

    Reply
    • April Anderson says

      April 14, 2020 at 10:43 am

      Thank you so much for letting me know about this! I didn’t know the post disappeared – I think it’s fixed now! So sorry about that!

      Reply
  2. Bridget says

    January 18, 2019 at 12:40 am

    i was looking around for some sides tonight and found this and omg…i brought it to every party i went to this past summer and it was a hit every time. I think i’m going to make it this weekend and channel warm weather. It’s seriously perfect.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Pam Greer says

    April 19, 2018 at 10:55 am

    What a perfect salad for a potluck!! Everything is better with bacon and what a great way to use your cherry tomatoes!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. Joanie says

    April 19, 2018 at 10:35 am

    This is my “go-to” recipe to bring to a party. Everyone loves it! I also love making a big batch for myself and I enjoy it for lunch throughout the week. Great recipe, thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  5. Bridget says

    June 17, 2017 at 4:46 pm

    I made this last night as a side for pulled pork sandwiches to feed a group of people ranging from my 86 year old dad who has not had much of an appetite lately down to 4 teenage boys. Everyone LOVED it and couldn’t stop raving. I doubled the recipe, hoping for leftovers, but the whole bowl was gone. Yay! You got my dad and some picky kids to eat!
    I thought about omitting the red onions for my boyfriend, who I love dearly but has the sad cross to bear of claiming to hate onions. But I bought the pre diced ones, gave them an extra chop, and even he couldn’t complain just said he loved the flavor.
    Total homerun and I will be making this again.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  6. Brian Jones says

    September 30, 2015 at 3:26 am

    Bacon really doe make the world a better place, what a wonderfully simple but beautiful recipe 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  7. Renee says

    September 28, 2015 at 1:48 am

    This looks amazingly delicious! I love a good pasta salad, but never thought of doing a BLT pasta salad.

    Reply
  8. Diane says

    September 28, 2015 at 12:44 am

    What a great use for our late season tomatoes! Love this recipe. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  9. Theresa @DearCreatives says

    August 26, 2015 at 11:29 am

    Your pasta salad looks so yummy. Perfect for labor day weekend! Pinned to try it.

    Reply
  10. kiss my spatula says

    September 18, 2009 at 3:48 pm

    with BLT in the title – i knew i had to take a look! fantastic idea!

    Reply
  11. Tasty Eats At Home says

    September 14, 2009 at 6:00 pm

    Yummy! I was craving a BLT yesterday, this is a nice unique twist!

    Reply
  12. Divina Pe says

    September 14, 2009 at 8:16 am

    We used to grow tomatoes but now it’s gone. That’s a great pasta dish. If it’s not a sandwich then it would be a pasta.

    Reply
  13. Simply Life says

    September 14, 2009 at 12:53 am

    That’s so creative and looks delicious!

    Reply
  14. [email protected] says

    September 13, 2009 at 7:58 pm

    Great idea! My family would love this!

    Reply
  15. Cookin' Canuck says

    September 13, 2009 at 3:07 pm

    What a great way to put all of your tomatoes to use! Anything with bacon is a winner in my book.

    Reply
  16. Mardi @eatlivetravelwrite says

    September 13, 2009 at 2:41 pm

    Lovely idea – we should have planted cherry tomatoes this summer too. Just posted about our BLT from scratch:

    http://www.eatlivetravelwrite.com/2009/09/they-say-it-takes-village-to-raise.html

    Reply

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Hi, I’m April! Comfort-food connoisseur, cookbook author, and parsley superfan – thanks for stopping by! Learn more… 

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